CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 17
HOBART (7-2) AT NEW PRAIRIE (7-2)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CDT, Amzie Miller Field.
COACHES: Craig Osika, 52-19 in sixth season at Hobart. Casey McKim, 36-12 in fourth season at New Prairie.
LAST CONTEST: Hobart beat Highland, 48-0. New Prairie beat Elkhart, 16-8.
UP NEXT: Hobart travels to Gary West (6-3) or hosts Kankakee Valley (4-5). New Prairie goes to Gary West or Kankakee Valley.
PREVIOUS MEETING: New Prairie, 49-28, on November 4, 2022, in Class 4A sectional final.
TOP PERFORMERS: Max Pickett tallied 17 carries for 197 yards with five touchdowns for the Brickies against Highland. Reece Lapczynski caught four passes for 74 yards with a score for the Cougars against Elkhart.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We preach to our kids that we must play our best football in week 10 and beyond. We will have to have a great week of preparation. We have to be able to tackle and swarm to the ball on the defensive side. We have to match their physicality on both sides of the ball. Offensively, we have to be able to control the ball and sustain drives. Coach McKim does a fantastic job of preparing his players for big games. This will be a great game to open up sectional play with.” – Hobart’s Craig Osika.
“To get a win Friday night, our defense needs to continue to play at a high level. Hobart has had some tremendous offensive output on the year and our defense has been a strength of the team for a number of weeks in a row now. We need to limit their explosive plays on offense and force them to execute all the way down the field. Offensively for us, we need to execute at a very high level. Our offensive line must set the tone of the game and win up front with an aggressive demeanor. The last two key points for us are winning the turnover battle and limiting big plays on special teams.” – New Prairie’s Casey McKim.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 19
EAST NOBLE (7-2) AT NEW HAVEN (8-1)
KICKOF: 7 p.m. EDT, Young Stadium.
COACHES: Luke Amstutz, 97-36 in 12th season at East Noble, 123-51 in 16th season overall. Kyle Booher, 18-12 in third season at New Haven, 24-36 in sixth season overall.
LAST CONTEST: East Noble beat Bellmont, 70-7. New Haven beat Huntington North, 47-12.
UP NEXT: East Noble goes to Leo (7-2) or hosts Fort Wayne South (1-8). New Haven travels to Leo or Fort Wayne South.
PREVIOUS MEETING: East Noble, 31-21, on October 6, 2023.
TOP PERFORMERS: Zander Brazel went 16-of-18 for 293 yards with six touchdowns for the No. 6 Knights against Bellmont. Ajani Washington registered five catches for 102 yards with two scores for the No. 7 Bulldogs against Huntington North.
COACHES’ CORNER: “We play on the road against a very familiar opponent. We are excited for the playoffs and feel like we are playing our best. New Haven has a great team and several great individual players that we will have to really account for. If we can limit big plays, we think we have a great opportunity to win the game.” – East Noble’s Luke Amstutz.
“We will need to increase the physicality from the last meeting. We need our front seven to step up and stop the run game on defense. Offensively, we need to limit the penalties, especially in the red zone. We slowed down our scoring by too many of our own mistakes that put us behind the chains. Finishing in the red zone and playing more physical to stop the run game on defense are the main focuses to change the scoreline from last time.” – New Haven’s Kyle Booher.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 22
PENDLETON HEIGHTS (7-2) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (8-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Myers Field.
COACHES: Jed Richman, 48-36 in eighth season at Pendleton Heights, 83-66 in 14th season overall. Travis Nolting, 27-23 in fifth season at Greenfield-Central, 87-51 in 13th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Pendleton Heights beat Shelbyville, 28-6. Greenfield-Central beat New Castle, 44-20.
UP NEXT: Pendleton Heights travels to New Castle (1-8) or entertains New Palestine (7-2). Greenfield-Central goes to New Castle or New Palestine.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Greenfield-Central, 43-38, on September 8, 2023.
TOP PERFORMERS: Isaac Wilson was 12-of-18 for 157 yards and had 11 rushes for 35 yards with two touchdowns for the Arabians against Shelbyville. Dallas Freman completed 12-of-20 for 154 yards with three touchdowns and ran five times for 134 yards with two scores for the No. 4 Cougars against New Castle.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Greenfield is an extremely talented team. It is a long-standing border rivalry as well, and we have a lot of respect for them. We will need to be very disciplined, give great effort, and play with a lot of toughness to be successful.” – Pendleton Heights’ Jed Richman.
“We have to play a mistake-free game because turnovers and penalties have plagued us over the last few weeks. If we can keep from turning the ball over and having game impacting penalties, we are a dangerous team. Pendleton Heights is a great team. They are well-coached. I have no doubt that they will be ready to play. We must play the best game we’ve played all season this Friday.” – Greenfield-Central’s Travis Nolting.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 28
GUERIN CATHOLIC (7-2) AT PERU (9-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Bengal Stadium.
COACHES: Tom Dilley, 63-44 in 10th season at Guerin Catholic, 143-121 in 24th season overall. Chris Makowski, 9-0 in first season at Peru, 32-52 in eighth season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Guerin Catholic beat Culver Academy, 42-7. Peru beat Manchester, 52-6.
UP NEXT: Guerin Catholic travels to Tippecanoe Valley (9-0) or hosts Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (9-0). Peru plays at Tippecanoe Valley or Bishop Chatard.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First matchup on gridiron.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Linden ran 28 times for 166 yards with a touchdown for the No. 3 Golden Eagles against Culver Academy. Matthew Roettger went 5-of-8 for 165 yards with two scores and ran 12 times for 74 yards with two touchdowns for the No. 9 Bengal Tigers against Manchester.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Peru is an outstanding football team. They have put together an undefeated historic season for their program. They play a physical, but deceptive style of offense with a swarming and opportunistic defense. Their passing game has big play ability from play-action opportunities off of their very effective run game. The Tiger defense has talent in all three levels with no glaring weakness. We will need to play our best game this week. As always, but especially true in playoff football, this game outcome will be dependent on play in the trenches and ball security.” – Guerin Catholic’s Tom Dilley.
“We are very proud, here in Peru, of our body of work so far this season and are excited about the upcoming season, the playoffs, and the opportunities that they bring. I believe that Peru plays in the toughest Class 3A sectional in the state of Indiana, and I truly believe whoever is alive at the end of three weeks will have the upper hand when competing for a state title. Guerin Catholic is a premier school who comes to Peru with a well-balanced offensive attack. They have very good size and speed at every position. Their defense flies to the ball and arrives in a bad mood. They also have the best kicking game that we have seen all season. For Peru to be successful we will have to limit our mistakes, hang on to the football, finish drives in the endzone, and win the turnover battle. Our team has relied on the big plays to separate us from our opponents this season. We will have to be satisfied with a ball control approach that keeps their playmakers on the sideline.” – Peru’s Chris Makowski.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY (9-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD (9-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Chatard Stadium.
COACHES: Stephen Moriarty, 50-24 in seventh season at Tippecanoe Valley. Rob Doyle, 72-20 in seventh season at Bishop Chatard.
LAST CONTEST: Tippecanoe Valley beat Bremen, 51-16. Bishop Chatard beat Cincinnati Elder (Ohio), 34-7.
UP NEXT: Tippecanoe Valley hosts Guerin Catholic (7-2) or Peru (9-0). Bishop Chatard travels to Guerin Catholic or hosts Peru.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First time playing football.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wyatt Hart raced 18 times for 183 yards with four touchdowns for the No. 3 Vikings against Bremen. Colin Guy caught five passes for 70 yards with two touchdowns and returned a fumble 12 yards for another score for the top-ranked and defending state champion Trojans against Cincinnati Elder.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Chatard is a very good team and very well-coached. They have a great program. To come away with a victory, we are going to have to not turn the ball over and cut down on our penalties. We are going to have to slow down their offense. I think that special teams and field position will play a big role in this game. Their strength of schedule has helped prepare them for the tournament. We have tried to do the same this season with our schedule.” – Tippecanoe Valley’s Steve Moriarty.
“Tippy Valley has a lot of veteran players who have won a lot of games the last few years. They are very strong up front on both sides of the ball. They run the ball very well so they can control the clock and keep your offense off the field. We will need to be efficient on offense to keep them off the field. Special teams will be key to control field position.” – Bishop Chatard’s Rob Doyle.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 29
DANVILLE (7-2) AT TRI-WEST (8-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Hendricks Field.
COACHES: Jayme Comer, 33-12 in fourth season at Danville. Jason Ward, 42-13 in fifth season at Tri-West.
LAST CONTEST: Danville beat North Montgomery, 23-20. Tri-West beat Southmont, 21-7.
UP NEXT: Danville goes to Western Boone (6-3) or hosts North Montgomery (5-4). Tri-West plays at Western Boone or North Montgomery.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Tri-West, 21-0, on September 15, 2023.
TOP PERFORMERS: Colton Mosley managed 22 carries for 113 yards for the Warriors against North Montgomery. Malachi Walden ran 27 times for 199 yards with three scores and completed 3-of-6 for 59 yards for the No. 8 Bruins against Southmont.
COACHES’ CORNER: “I expect Friday Night to be another great chapter in the storied rivalry between Danville and Tri-West, two storied programs that will bring their very best to the table for a four-plus quarter game. We will need to focus on having a great week of practice and preparation, which will lead to opportunities for success on the field Friday. The game will come down to the team that can make the five to seven game-changing plays. We must focus to make sure that we are the team that comes away with those plays Friday. We are excited for an opportunity to play in a big game like this, and appreciate the chance to represent our school and community.” – Danville’s Jayme Comer.
“Never fails Tri-West versus Danville in round one of the sectionals, but we get to host this year which has been awhile. I wish we could have played someone else because as a coach you like playing new teams and getting ready for a different team that you have not scouted before is exciting, but here we are, playing Danville. Each program knows what formations we are going to run. They know the adjustments that will be made if something does not work. We are very familiar with each other’s personnel and what a player is good at and not good at and what is the weak link in both teams. Yes, each team will throw a little wrinkle here and there in new formations, but there are so many plays you can put in for a new formation, and once that is used up, we are back where we started. Same formations, same plays. It will come down to whether you can beat the guy across from you. Each team knows what is coming. Turnovers were big last year. We had six turnovers and that was that.” – Tri-West’s Jason Ward.
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 31
LAWRENCEBURG (7-2) AT CENTERVILLE (9-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Craig Field.
COACHES: Ryan Knigga, 119-39 in 13th season at Lawrenceburg. Ryan Cole, 16-3 in second season at Centerville, 16-11 in third season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Lawrenceburg beat South Dearborn, 42-21. Centerville beat Knightstown, 49-3.
UP NEXT: Lawrenceburg goes to Batesville (8-1) or hosts Rushville (3-6). Centerville plays at Batesville or Rushville.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Lawrenceburg, 21-3, on October 31, 2008, in Class 2A sectional semifinals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Logan Ahaus was 8-of-16 for 136 yards with a touchdown and ran for another score for the defending state runner-up Tigers against South Dearborn. Nathan Dickenson hauled in four passes for 205 yards with two scores for the Bulldogs against Knightstown.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Centerville is a good team. They are coached well. They have good schemes and they play hard. We will need to be physical on both sides of the ball. We will need to be aggressive in how we are attacking them offensively and defensively. We need to take care of the ball and we need to create turnovers. Every possession will count in this game, so we can’t have empty trips. Special teams will need to make plays and flip the field. We are excited about the challenge. They are undefeated for a reason. It should be a great environment. You must earn the right to keep playing. We hope we get that opportunity.” – Lawrenceburg’s Ryan Knigga.
“In order to beat Lawrenceburg and advance in the tournament, we are going to have to win the battle in the trenches and control the line of scrimmage. We will need to be disciplined on defense and we have to stop the run. Offensively, we need to take care of the football and get the ball to our playmakers in space. We will have to be effective in the run game so we do not become one dimensional. We expect a dog fight on Friday night and believe that if we are in it in the fourth quarter, we will come away with the victory.” – Centerville’s Ryan Cole.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 36
BLUFFTON (7-2) AT ALEXANDRIA (8-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Alexandria.
COACHES: Brent Kunkel, 46-29 in seventh season at Bluffton. Pete Gast, 69-87 in 15th season at Alexandria, 84-122 in 20th season overall.
LAST CONTEST: Bluffton beat Lakeland, 32-14. Alexandria beat Madison-Grant, 20-14.
UP NEXT: Bluffton entertains Eastbrook (6-3) or Frankton (4-5). Alexandria hosts Frankton or goes to Eastbrook.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First get together in football.
TOP PERFORMERS: Fletcher Wenger returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns for the No. 8 Tigers against Lakeland. Carson Cuneo carried the ball 18 times for 106 yards with two scores and recovered a fumble for the No. 6 Tigers against Madison-Grant.
COACHES’ CORNER: “Alexandria is a very good team, with their only loss coming to an undefeated Class 4A Mississinewa team. They have some very explosive playmakers on offense, and have a very stout defensive front seven. Playoff time, everything is magnified, so we are going to have to take care of the football and avoid selfish penalties. I feel like the team that is able to come out and establish the line of scrimmage is going to the group that comes out on top. We want to be able to establish the run, they want to try and throw it to their athletes on the outside. It should be a great game.” – Bluffton’s Brent Kunkel.
“In order to defeat Bluffton this Friday, we will need to play a solid game in all three phases. Special teams have been solid for us in 2023. Corey Layton leads our special teams at placekicker. His 57 kicking points leads the Central Indiana Conference for kick scoring. Bluffton has a strong rush offense. We will need to control the line of scrimmage and win first downs. When we have the ball, we need to be efficient. No penalties or turnovers. We like our game plan on offense, but Bluffton’s defense will make us earn everything.” – Alexandria’s Pete Gast.
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 39
INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (5-4) AT BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (8-1)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Blevins Stadium.
COACHES: Ott Hurrle, 229-150 in 32nd season at Scecina, 230-159 in 34th season overall. Reed May, 299-63 in 31st season at Brownstown Central.
LAST CONTEST: Scecina lost to Monrovia, 44-0. Brownstown Central beat Scottsburg, 48-21.
UP NEXT: Scecina hosts Triton Central (8-1) or Clarksville (1-8). Brownstown Central goes to Triton Central or entertains Clarksville.
PREVIOUS MEETING: First meeting on gridiron.
TOP PERFORMERS: David Mendez went 12-of-22 for 105 yards for the Crusaders against Monrovia. Lane Zike ran 12 times for 183 yards with four touchdowns for the No. 3 Braves against Scottsburg.
COACHES’ CORNER: “In order for us to compete against Brownstown, we will need to play assignment defense, which vs. their offense is very difficult to do. Offensively, our line is going to have to improve their blocking greatly.” – Scecina’s Ott Hurrle.
“Scecina is a great school with not only a great football tradition, but a great coach in Ott Hurrle. We are looking forward to the opportunity to play them for the first time. We will need to be able to play sound defense and be able to control the ball with our offense. We have to do a great job on special teams and not turn the ball over.” – Brownstown Central’s Reed May.
CLASS 1A SECTIONAL 44
SOUTH ADAMS (6-3) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (9-0)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Minnich Field.
COACHES: Grant Moser, 72-31 in 9th season at South Adams. Michael Mosser, 136-48 in 15th season at Adams Central.
LAST CONTEST: South Adams beat Southern Wells, 48-3. Adams Central beat Woodlan, 45-6.
UP NEXR: South Adams plays at Fremont (3-6) or hosts Southwood (4-5). Adams Central travels to Fremont or Southwood.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Adams Central, 48-0, on September 22, 2023.
TOP PERFORMERS: Colton Bollenbacher ran 16 times for 133 yards with a touchdown for the No, 10 Starfires against Southern Wells. Jamison Roach returned a punt 52 yards for a score for the No. 2 and two-time defending state runner-up Flying Jets against Woodlan.
COACHES’ CORNER: “They are extremely good at what they do. They block and tackle very well. We will need to get them off schedule so they are not always in third and short situations. We need to take what they give us and take care of the ball. It is going to be an enormous challenge, but we are excited.” – South Adams’ Grant Moser.
“We are going to have to stop the pass. South Adams does a great job of passing and finding the open man. Owen Wanner is a very good quarterback, so we are going to have to pressure him hard and throw him off. Our secondary too has to play well. Offensively, we are going to have to execute efficiently, move the ball, and score.” – Adams Central’s Michael Mosser.
CLASS 1A SECTIONAL 46
SOUTH DECATUR (7-2) AT NORTH DECATUR (6-3)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. EDT, Kaelin Field.
COACHES: Rod Martin, 36-44 in eighth season at South Decatur. Steve Stirn, 71-33 in ninth season at North Decatur, 158-82 in 21st season overall.
LAST CONTEST: South Decatur beat Dayton Christian (Ohio), 38-15. North Decatur beat Switzerland County, 47-0.
UP NEXT: South Decatur goes to Knightstown (3-6) or entertains Tri (6-3). North Decatur travels to Knightstown or Tri.
PREVIOUS MEETING: North Decatur, 41-14, on August 18, 2023.
TOP PERFORMERS: Corbin Johnson scampered 15 times for 135 yards with a touchdown for the Cougars against Dayton Christian. Mason Morris was 6-of-8 for 142 yards with two scores and ran for another touchdown for the Chargers against Switzerland County.
COACHES’ CORNER: “North Decatur is a very well-coached team. They deliver multiple formations on offense and play very sound defense. Defensively, we must quickly recognize formations and line up correctly. Flow to the football and tackle well. Offensively, we must control the clock and protect the football. Our guys need to be focused this week with each practice and carry that into Friday night for us to take the victory.” – South Decatur’s Rod Martin.
“The keys to success in this contest will be addressing a strong running game anchored by junior Corbin Johnson who is averaging 12.6 yards per carry and 158 yards per game. The Cougars’ passing game has also developed well over the year with senior Jaylynn McMurray averaging 82.7 yards per game. McMurray’s favorite targets are the senior tandem of Alex Myers and Colby Rathburn. The Cougars have recently shown a willingness to spread the field and force their opponents to defend in space. Defensively, the Cougars employ a 3-5 stack scheme that allows for pressure and maximizes athleticism on the field. The Cougars’, led by seniors Isaac Gasper and Tyler Bishop and junior Ian AmRhein, are averaging 54.7 tackles for loss on the year. The added element of familiarity may also play a role in this contest between perennial foes.” – North Decatur’s Steve Stirn.
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